On behalf of the mutual-aid Departments participating in this
program, we invite you, the Fire Chiefs of Geauga County, to
observe the July 26, 1998 South Geauga Mutual Hazardous Materials
Team (SGM HAZMAT) drill, which will be held at the Geauga County
Fairgrounds in Burton. The drill will commence at 07:30

SGM HAZMAT Team Technician, Operations and EMS trained
personnel have learned advanced techniques for risk assessment
and hazard management. The intent of our team has been to undergo
the very best training, chiefly through the University of
Findlay, Cleveland State University and highly specialized
consultants, so we can protect the citizens of our communities
with the highest levels of emergency preparedness and response.
Our proactive ability to identify risks, and to command resources
to safely, proficiently and efficiently deal with the incident
has been integrated and coordinated in a well managed and
overseen, mutual aid, team effort.

The South Geauga Mutual HAZMAT Team was formed, in part, from
elements of the original Geauga County Hazardous Incident
Response Team (HIRT), which had functioned for nearly 10 years.
Several members of the Geauga HIRT wanted to improve overall
training and chemical emergency preparedness for our communities,
while establishing strong compliance with Federal and State
regulations (OSHA/EPA), as well as National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) professional fire fighter consensus competency
and procedural standards.

In December 1996, work was begun on the Standard Operating
Guidelines (SOGs), which were completed in March of 1997. The
SOGs set forth the comprehensive plan by which SGM HAZMAT would
operate, and were reviewed and accepted by the Chiefs of all 6
participating Departments.

The participating Departments desired to establish this
preparedness in a carefully controlled, step-wise fashion, so
that safety, proficiency and competency could be ensured, and
that the quality of the leadership, oversight and command
infrastructure would neither be compromised nor overloaded. This
has truly been a mutual aid effort among the participating
departments, extremely similar to the existing mutual aid
structure already in place for fires and medical emergencies.

The goals of SGM HAZMATs SOGs have been met, with over
40 personnel trained and qualified to the prescribed regulatory
criteria. Mutual Aid has been established with qualified
neighboring HAZMAT Teams. The participating Departments have had
their basic firefighters and emergency medical service (EMS)
personnel trained to recognize hazardous materials incidents, to
implement our chemical emergency plan, and to work safely with
SGM HAZMAT in actual response activities (such as decontamination
of emergency response personnel and chemical exposure victims
from the public).

Four local scientists have volunteered their time and services
to train and assist in the rapid on-scene characterization of the
chemical, physical and toxicological properties of spilled
materials, to greatly enhance risk identification and management
which permits Incident Commanders to make appropriate decisions
regarding public safety. Joint HAZMAT education and training
programs have been fostered between Geauga Regional Hospital and
Robinson Memorial Hospital to provide multiple location HAZMAT
injury treatment personnel, resources and procedures. SGM HAZMAT
possesses over $50,000 worth of specialized chemical protective
clothing, HAZMAT research literature, chemical monitoring
instrumentation, decontamination and mitigation equipment, and a
dedicated HAZMAT trailer for transporting this equipment to
HAZMAT scenes. All costs of establishing SGM HAZMAT have been
borne by the participating Departments, with a strong emphasis on
donations by Industry, and Government training grants.

In all, SGM HAZMAT personnel have logged over 2000 man-hours
of certified HAZMAT training, including over 200 man-hours of
Fire Chief training. SGM HAZMAT members are fully certified and
credentialed in accordance with all Federal and State
regulations, and professional fire fighter (NFPA) standards,
including an extensive medical examination and on-going
surveillance program.

Discussions have also been held with the Geauga County HAZMAT
Team, relating to proposed joint operations. Progress has been
made toward this goal, but is contingent upon a mutual regulatory
compliance audit to be undertaken at some point in the future.
SGM HAZMAT is currently on-line and is available as a mutual aid
HAZMAT response resource to any Fire Department or HAZMAT Team
that requests such mutual aid through the Geauga County
Sheriffs Office 911 dispatch center.

SGM HAZMAT has achieved sufficient expertise and operating
experience to permit orderly broadening of the teams role
in supporting the chemical emergency preparedness of our
neighboring communities. SGM HAZMAT has opened our team training
and team membership to any Geauga County firefighter or EMS
personnel who have the desire to become involved with our effort.

The only requirements are that the particular person is a
member in good standing with their home department, has been
through T&I and/or EMT Basic training/certification and has
the permission and approval of their Chief to do so. For those
individuals who wish to take a more aggressive role (i.e., HAZMAT
Technician) with SGM HAZMAT response activities, a medical
baseline exam is required (by OSHA). The cost is approximately
$250.00, and is to be paid by the individuals home
department. With these basic requirements satisfied, the
individual can enter SGM HAZMATs training program.

We respectfully request that you attend the July 26, 1998
drill in Burton to observe the complexities of a HAZMAT incident,
and to observe the SGM HAZMAT Team at work. We would hope that
your observation of the Team will permit you to enthusiastically
support any of your Department members who would like to make a
contribution to our mutual aid HAZMAT effort.

If you have any questions, please contact any of the SGM
HAZMAT Team leaders or Chiefs. Hope to see you at the drill!